The Incredible Way They Turned The Wasted Space In Their Foyer Into A Much-Needed Loft

Let’s be real— pretty much all of us could use a lot more space in our homes. The number one way to find it? Look for wasted space around our houses – all those underutilized nooks and crannies – and put it to work. What if we’ve got every bit of wall and floor space already working hard for us? Then let’s look UP— to our foyers.

Everybody who has a foyer – especially everybody who has one in an otherwise small and humble home – knows what we mean by calling it wasted space. They can be great for a more open feeling and for an impressive first impression for guests, but everyday use by our families is far more important than a one-time-only impression for people just passing through. But what use can a foyer have, really? At best, most people hang a chandelier or maybe a shelf, which in turn gathers dust until the two times a year we can wrangle a ladder tall enough to get to them. There has to be a better way, don’t you think? As Apartment Therapy and NX2 report, there is, and there’s an innovative mom here to show us the way.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and who has more necessity than, well, a mother?! Leave it to a mom to figure out what to do with all that wasted foyer space! The mom in question is Angie, who wanted to find more space for her growing daughter to play, and maybe get a little work of her own done. Since she, her husband, and her daughter lived in a two-bedroom townhouse, that extra space was in short supply. Then one day, Angie looked up, and inspiration struck: turn the foyer into a loft!

Think about it. It’s a brilliant idea, right? Rather than an expensive expansion to their home, Angie figured out a way to see where a room should be inside. The foyer already had three walls just waiting to be used. The only thing missing was a floor! Just take another look at it before it was turned into a loft:

Apartment Therapy via NX2

The more you look at it, the more it you can see the loft that should be there. This foyer, in particular, is small enough that there’s plenty of support for a floor. Full of inspiration and DIY spirit, Angie and her family decided to do it themselves!

She had her husband and father-in-law build this clever, creative loft and made it into a little nook for working and playing. Now Angie and her daughter both have a little place of their own to get away and color, play, and maybe even get a little work done.

The construction started with building a secure base. Then, the only other steps were to install the flooring, and then put up a safety rail that matched the railing of the existing staircase. The result? A loft that looks like it should have been there all along! Just look at this before and after:

Apartment Therapy via NX2

Such a natural progression! This two-bedroom townhome has transformed into a two-bedroom and loft, and it just makes all the difference. Any harried parent can tell you how much it helps to have a designated space for work and play that’s separate from a bedroom.

Apartment Therapy via NX2

Adorable! What do YOU think of this home improvement project? Do you feel inspired to do the same in YOUR foyer? Have you ever added a room to your home without actually expanding it? What other ways do you make use of underutilized spaces in your house? Learn more about this project on Apartment Therapy and NX2, and tell us what you think!